Reunion
by Kedi
Summary: Mulan kept telling herself she was being ridiculous. This former cricket wouldn't be her cricket. What were the chances of that? But on the other hand, what were the chances of there being more than one charmed cricket, even in a realm like theirs?


**Summary:** Mulan kept telling herself she was being ridiculous. _This_ former cricket wouldn't be _her_ cricket. What were the chances of that? But on the other hand, what were the chances of there being more than one charmed cricket, even in a realm like theirs?

**Characters:** Mulan, Ruby Lucas, Archie Hopper

**Pairing:** Warrior Cricket, Chirping Warrior

**Author's note:** I received several lovely Warrior Cricket prompts but this is not a direct answer to any one in particular; rather, it is my attempt to figure this ship out in my head. I found I couldn't jump right into heavy shipping before testing the waters first, as it were, so this is Warrior Cricket friendship with the the possibility of something more - or just a really solid friendship, which is beautiful in its own right. Anyways, be it brOTP or OTP, here's my first attempt at Warrior Cricket. Hope you like it, dear WC-prompter(s), even though it's not eeeexactly what you asked for. :)

. o O o .

When Mulan in passing had mentioned a companion who had been by her side during the most difficult time of her life, chirping encouragements and warnings in her ear, Ruby had laughed in delight and told Mulan that it sounded a lot like a friend of hers - though he wasn't chirping anymore. "He's not dead," Ruby had hastened to clarify, eyes clouding over with suppressed emotion. "Though for a while we thought he was. We were lucky; he came back to us." Mulan had heard both the memory of pain and a deep relief in her voice. "What I meant was that he's not _literally_ chirping anymore, since he's no longer a cricket. Still giving advice, though, and still doing his best to help those who need it."

Mulan wrapped both hands around her warm cup of coffee - one of the many wonders she had been introduced to in this new and strange realm - as she gazed out the window at a door on the other side of the road. That was, according to Ruby, the door which led to the former cricket's office. In this world he was a healer, one who treated ailments of the mind rather than the body. He listened to people's problems and offered help and advice, and apparently his services were much sought after - or as Ruby had put it "with all this craziness goin' on he's been keeping busy, that's for sure!"

Mulan kept telling herself she was being ridiculous. _This_ former cricket wouldn't be _her_ cricket. What were the chances of that? But on the other hand, what were the chances of there being more than one charmed cricket, even in a realm like theirs? For charmed she had been sure he was - no normal cricket would act like her lucky cricket had done; no normal cricket would have remained loyally by her side even after she opened the cage to let him go free; no normal cricket would have acted so human... no normal cricket would have survived what she and her lucky cricket had gone through.

But from the sounds of it Ruby's cricket-friend had spoken in a tongue Ruby had understood, and that more than anything else made Mulan hesitate. Mulan's lucky cricket had never spoken in words she had understood, and there had been times his chirping had been hard to interpret. No, this aptly named "Hopper" would not be _her_ cricket. She was probably just grasping at straws in a desperate attempt to find something familiar and safe amidst the strangeness of this realm. She wanted to sigh, but resisted. Then she glanced around and saw that Ruby was serving someone in the far booth, and since Mulan was the only other patron in the diner she allowed herself to sigh after all. It felt surprisingly good, so she sighed again.

She contemplated going back to the inn where she, Aurora, Philip and Neal were staying - but immediately dismissed the thought. Neal would not be there, no doubt spending time with the Saviour and their son, and Aurora and Philip… well, they would no doubt appreciate some privacy. There was much lost time to make up for, after all, and Mulan didn't want to get in the way. They would "hang out", as Ruby had called it, later. Maybe they would even watch the "movie" Neal had talked about. When Mulan expressed her curiosity about the "movie" telling her story Ruby had said she thought it was really good - though Mulan didn't know what to make of the enigmatical smile that had accompanied the waitress's words.

For now though, Mulan didn't quite know what to do but sip her coffee and stare out the window at the unremarkable door across the way as her thoughts returned home; to those hard months where her life, her family's honour and the fate of her people had been a heavy weight upon her tired shoulders - and to the ones who had helped her. Especially the one whose company had been constant and reassuring; her little lucky cricket who had seemed so determined to help her in any way he could.

The door across the way suddenly opened and a man came out, and for a long moment all Mulan could do was stare in surprise. She wasn't sure what she had imagined or expected, but the hair shining fiery red in the autumn sunshine and the pale, slightly freckled complexion of the man approaching the diner was not it. He was looking preoccupied, lost in thought, but when he entered the diner he mustered up a distracted smile as he made his way to the counter.

"Hi Ruby. A club sandwich, please, with -"

"With remoulade instead of mayonnaise, an extra pickle and the tomato on the side! Comin' right up, Archie!"

The man chuckled. "You know me too well. May I have it to go, please?"

"Only if you promise me that you won't take it back to your office, put it aside and forget the whole thing."

Mulan watched in confused amusement as the waitress wagged a finger in the man's face. She hadn't known Ruby more than a day or so and couldn't quite tell if she was joking or not. The man however held up a hand in surrender and made a crossing motion over his heart with the other, which apparently was the right thing to do since Ruby lowered her stern finger and with a fond eye roll moved towards the kitchen to place his order. Mulan saw his smile fade as soon as Ruby turned her back to him and wondered why he was so sad - and why he seemed to want to hide it.

Without thinking she rose and approached the counter. He sensed her coming and turned, an automatic polite smile reappearing in anticipation but fell as soon as their eyes met. She noted with both curiosity and wonder - and hope? - how all the colour seemed to drain from his face.

"Mulan…"

And with that single, breathless whisper of her name she knew that it really was him. Her lucky cricket stood before her, a cricket no more, and without hesitation she closed the distance between them and hugged him tightly. She had wanted to do that so many times in the past and now she finally had the chance. He hugged her back with a sense of desperation, as if he doubted his own senses, as if he couldn't quite believe she was real.

"Oh Mulan, I-I thought you were dead. The yaoguai..."

She heard both the sorrow and the relief in his voice and remembered how Ruby had sounded earlier when speaking of him - now Mulan was the one who had come back from the dead.

She stepped back but felt his hesitation to let her go, so she took both his hands in hers and held them tight, and it seemed to reassure him.

"I survived," she said unnecessarily and he smiled a smile that reached his eyes.

"I'm glad," he said in that same matter-of-fact manner, and though she didn't doubt his sincerity in the least she got the distinct impression he was teasing her. She found she didn't mind at all.

"You're not looking much like yourself, Cri-kee," she said, tugging playfully at his hands and felt a surprising rush of joy at the sight of colour returning to his cheeks - and then some. "But I like it. And I like your voice; now we can finally have a two-sided conversation."

"Ah, yeah, there were times it was frustrating not being able to make myself understood."

"Oh, I think I usually understood you well enough. I just didn't always want to listen."

He laughed and Mulan couldn't help but smile, feeling strangely proud to have banished the sadness from his eyes. Ruby cleared her throat behind him.

"Your sandwich, Archie." She grinned at them as she handed him his food. "I take it he was your cricket after all, huh, Mulan?"

Mulan looked at the blushing man by her side and nodded. "My lucky cricket, yes." Taking his arm she pulled him firmly towards the door. "And we have much time to make up for, if you'll excuse us, Ruby."

Ruby just gave them a cheeky salute and before Mulan knew it she and Cri-kee - _Archie_ - was walking down the street arm in arm.

"I didn't know you were here, Mulan. Otherwise I would have sought you out."

She shrugged with a soft smile. "I know. And I've only been here for a couple of days, so don't worry. I didn't know you would be here either."

"Oh, I've been here for nearly 30 years." His sideway glance sparkled with dry humour. "But I take it you were part of the party returning with Neal Cassidy?"

"The Dark One's son, yes. Prince Philip, Princess Aurora, and I returned through the portal with him."

He nodded. "I heard you had come, but only Neal was mentioned by name. I meant to investigate, in case anyone needed help adjusting, but -"

"But with all this craziness going on you've been keeping busy," she echoed Ruby's words from earlier. "Do not fret, my friend, I understand. You can help me adjust now."

"I'd love to."

"But you must eat first."

He laughed out loud at that. "Yes, yes, I'll eat," he agreed. "And as I eat you can tell me about what has happened to you since last we saw each other. How's that?"

She declared it a satisfactory arrangement and they settled down on a bench with a view of the water. Mulan talked of everything that had happened since they were separated; her words a little halting and self-conscious at first, but soon she was feeling comfortable enough in his company to let the words flow without hesitation, just like old times. He always had been a good listener.

But, she reflected as he finished his sandwich and willingly answered every question she could think to ask him, it was good to be able to understand his end of the conversation too.


End file.
